San Francisco Giants prospect Francisco Peguero might force his way onto team

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Francisco Peguero was standing at his locker a few minutes before the Giants' NLDS roster was announced last fall when Aubrey Huff approached.

"Pegs," Huff asked, "Do you know if you made it?"

The math was simple: If Peguero was on the roster, it was to serve as a pinch-runner for Huff, who ultimately made all three postseason rosters anyway. Peguero did not, but he was allowed to stick around as an insurance policy, and he's now reaping the benefits of that extra month of big league work.

Peguero went 2 for 4 on Tuesday in a 4-3 loss to the Cleveland Indians and saw his spring average drop 13 points to .550.

"It helped me a lot," Peguero said through interpreter Erwin Higueros, when asked about last season's big league cameo. "I feel ready. I think I'm playing very well and making a good impression."

Peguero certainly has made an impression on manager Bruce Bochy, who is looking for a fifth outfielder. In a crowded field that includes Cole Gillespie, Roger Kieschnick, Juan Perez, Gary Brown and possibly even Brett Pill, Peguero has been an early standout. He has 11 hits in 21 at-bats, along with six RBIs and four runs.

"It's going to be a tough decision, but he's doing what he needs to do," Bochy said.

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Peguero, 24, was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2005 and has displayed a rocket arm, speed and the ability to hit for average and power while steadily climbing through the minors. He has a .305 average in seven minor league seasons, and a year ago at Triple-A Fresno, he hit .272 with five homers, 10 triples and 20 doubles.

Peguero stole 40 bases in 2010 but has had two knee surgeries, the second of which slowed him last spring. He showed Tuesday that the knee is now healthy, nearly legging out an infield single on a routine grounder to third.

"Last year I didn't get a chance because of my knee," he said. "This year is completely different because I'm playing more and getting more opportunities. That's what you play for, to make a case for yourself."

With every hit, that case is getting stronger.

During his spring outings, Madison Bumgarner is focusing on sharpening a two-seam fastball that he's bringing back into his arsenal, and he also is trying to get better at holding runners.

Those are small details, things that can be taken care of in March.

In the offseason, Bumgarner had a bigger concern. He called his fellow starters, all of them veterans, and asked how they were preparing for 2013 after a long 2012 run.

Bumgarner, who threw 223﻿1/3 total innings last season, ultimately chose a routine that fell somewhere between Tim Lincecum's "only on flat ground" throwing program and the heavy mound work done by Ryan Vogelsong and Barry Zito. Until he got to Scottsdale, Bumgarner played only long toss, but he arrived in camp early and threw off bullpen mounds.

"I took it a little easier this year," Bumgarner said.

That has resulted in a little rustiness. Bumgarner has given up eight hits and four walks in his first 5﻿2/3 spring innings, but he wasn't concerned after Tuesday's outing, in which he gave up a run on three hits with a walk and three strikeouts in two innings.

"Maybe if I'm doing this with a week to go, I might feel concerned," he said. "Right now I feel good. The command will come."

Brandon Belt hit his team-leading third homer of the spring and has 11 hits in his past five games. Belt said this is the most comfortable he has felt at the plate as a big leaguer.

"I'm getting a lot of confidence, and I'm finding the right combination of mechanics," he said.

Brandon Crawford also hit a home run, and Gillespie had two hits. Brett Bochy pitched a scoreless inning out of the bullpen.

Left-hander Javier Lopez faced hitters on a back field at Scottsdale Stadium and might return to game action early next week. Lopez has been sidelined since an errant throw bruised his pitching hand Feb. 19.

Tim Lincecum (blister) played catch and remains on schedule to start Thursday.

The Giants are loaning pitchers Edwin Escobar, Jose Valdez and Justin Fitzgerald to Team Mexico to help fill innings during the WBC squad's exhibition with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday. The rest of the Giants are off Wednesday.